GUIDE
Who is Judge Alvin Hellerstein? The judge in the Maduro and Cilia Flores case
Alvin Kenneth Hellerstein is a federal judge in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) and the judge who decides United States v. Maduro Moros et al. (case 1:11-cr-00205), the prosecution of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores. On the same docket he handles the case of Hugo "El Pollo" Carvajal. He is 92 and still sits as a senior judge.
Who he is
Born in New York City on December 28, 1933, he studied at Columbia (law degree, 1956), served in the U.S. Army's legal corps and spent almost forty years at the law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, where he was a partner and co-head of litigation. President Bill Clinton nominated him to the federal bench in 1998 and the Senate confirmed him by unanimous consent that year, according to his public biography.
Since 2011 he has held senior status: in the U.S. federal courts, a judge who could retire but keeps working with a reduced caseload and full judicial powers.
Cases he is known for
- The September 11 lawsuits: in 2003 he took on the consolidated case against the airlines and the airport security companies.
- The Abu Ghraib photographs: in 2005 he ordered the government to release photos and videos of abuse at the Iraqi prison in a freedom-of-information case.
- The Obama "Hope" poster: he presided over the copyright dispute between the Associated Press and the artist Shepard Fairey, settled in 2011.
- Harvey Weinstein: in 2019 he let a civil suit by several accusers go forward while dismissing part of the claims.
His rulings in the Venezuela cases
Docket 1:11-cr-00205 was opened in 2011 and has added defendants over the years. Hellerstein has already decided several parts of the same case:
- Prosecutors oppose house arrest for Cilia Flores; the judge set the hearing for October 8, 2026. Tocorón Watch (docket)
- Maduro and Cilia Flores appear before Hellerstein after their capture on January 3 and plead not guilty. Trial was later set for June 1, 2027. Wikipedia (Prosecution of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores)
- Hugo "El Pollo" Carvajal pleads guilty before Hellerstein to narco-terrorism, drug-trafficking and weapons charges. U.S. Department of Justice (SDNY)
- Sentences retired general Clíver Alcalá to 21 years in prison. MercoPress
Who else is in the courtroom
For the government, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, led by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton; Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Wirshba spoke for the government at the arraignment. For the defense, Barry Pollack represents Maduro (he negotiated the plea deal that freed Julian Assange) and Mark Donnelly, a former federal prosecutor in Texas, represents Cilia Flores, according to Fox News.
Dates ahead
- October 8, 2026: hearing on Cilia Flores's request for house arrest.
- November 17, 2026: next hearing in the Maduro case.
- June 1, 2027: the trial of Maduro and Cilia Flores begins.
Maduro and Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty and, like any defendant in the United States, are presumed innocent unless convicted.
Follow the case
- Tocorón Watch: every new court filing, explained
- Where is Nicolás Maduro being held? Charges, dates and timeline
- Where is Cilia Flores being held? House-arrest request, health and court dates
- Hugo "El Pollo" Carvajal: guilty plea, sentencing pending
Sources
- Wikipedia · Alvin Hellerstein (biography)
- Fox News · Who's who in the Maduro case: the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers
- U.S. Department of Justice (SDNY) · Carvajal pleads guilty (June 25, 2025)
- MercoPress · Alcalá sentenced to 21 years (April 2024)
- Wikipedia · Prosecution of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores
Common questions
- Who is the judge in the Maduro case?
- Alvin K. Hellerstein, a senior U.S. District Judge in the Southern District of New York, appointed by Bill Clinton in 1998. He also handles the cases of Cilia Flores and Hugo "El Pollo" Carvajal.
- How old is Judge Hellerstein?
- He was born on December 28, 1933: he is 92 and still sits as a senior judge.
- When is Maduro's trial?
- It is set for June 1, 2027. Before that there is a hearing on November 17, 2026, and on October 8, 2026 the court hears Cilia Flores's request for house arrest.
- Is Judge Hellerstein also handling the Alex Saab case?
- No. Alex Saab's case is in Miami, before Judge Kathleen M. Williams of the Southern District of Florida.
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